Tate had already started training for Rousey

Miesha Tate said she had already started training for a fight with UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey when she received news that she had been passed over in favour of Holly Holm.

Tate recorded her fourth consecutive win against Jessica Eye in July (just over a month before Rousey defended her title for the sixth time by knocking out Bethe Correia) and was expected to receive a third shot at the champion.

However, she was passed over in favour of former WBF, WBC, WBA and IBA light-welterweight and welterweight champion Holm, who is currently undefeated in her mixed martial arts career.

Tate would later claim that neither UFC president Dana White nor any of the promotion’s matchmakers contacted her to inform her of or explain the decision.

“It sucked not finding out from the promotion itself, so I felt a little bit disappointed and my feelings were kind of hurt, to be honest,” she told MMA Mania.

“I was really bummed out because I was really motivated and I really felt like I hit a new level. I was training for her already. I didn't take any time off after my fight and it really kind of shot me in the heart.

“It was like, ‘Damn. That's what I thought I was going to get, and that's what the world thought I was going to get'. It was a pretty heartbreaking process for me, so I'm not exactly sure what's next.”

It was subsequently reported that Tate would face Amanda Nunes in her next bout, but the former Strikeforce champion says she hasn’t signed any contracts.

"No, I'm definitely not signed to fight Nunes. I haven't talked to the UFC or my coaches or my management about it. … As far as what's next, I really don't know I need to get home and talk to my management and my coaches."